Falls to Climb
by Rapideyes
Summary: A supernatural glee AU multichapter Faberry fic. Vampire!Quinn. Trigger warnings: Violence, self-injury in a later chapter
1. 1  Falls to Climb

Falls to Climb

"_Romantically, you'd martyr me_

_And miss this story's point_

_It is my strength, my destiny_

_This is the roll that I have chosen._

_Someone has to take the fall_

_Why not me?"_

With a spring in her step and humming along to the upbeat song blaring from her ipod, Rachel made her way home through the dimly lit streets of Lima. An insistent buzz suddenly grabbed her attention as she reached for her phone.

"Dinner is nearly done, home soon? Love, Dad."

Sighing she replaced the phone in her pocket and turned down the alley which would save her a lot of time. Having an active imagination had always been a part of Rachel's life. From her huge Broadway dreams to her superstitions of not passing under ladders and her avoidance of alleyways that could contain any number of potential dangers. Knowing her fathers were cooking one of her favourite meals; a roast vegetable vegan-friendly pizza, she decided to hurry home, as vegan cheese was not particularly forgiving of reheating.

Suddenly startled by her earphones being ripped from her, Rachel spun on the spot only to be shoved harshly against the wall.

"You fucking listen to me when I talk to you, you little bitch!"

Aside from the pain running through her arms she could smell the undeniable stench of alcohol. She was torn between trying to appease this guy so he'd let her go and thoughts of trying to turn and out run the stumbling giant. As she turned, deciding to attempt the latter, a brutish hand shot out and grabbed her by the shoulder before blinding pain shot through her back. She hadn't noticed the man pull out a knife until it had already become well acquainted with her lower back. Gasping and trying to cling to the wall beside her Rachel crumpled to the ground.

"Not got anything to say huh? You look like the type to run their mouth." Rachel continued to try and ignore him silently; clutching her side and willing herself to pass out so she wouldn't have to remember whatever may come next.

"Oi!" accompanied a clumsy but forceful kick to her stomach. She groaned loudly trying to curl further up into herself.

"That's better, you going to be a good girl or a fucking bitch?" He began to loom over her, wrenching her hands away from her body and above her head. As he leaned closer the stench of what she would guess to be dark rum mingled sickeningly with the metallic smell of the blood trickling from her side and the damp mould that had long coated the walls of where Rachel began to think would probably be the last place she'd ever be alive.

She could feel her will to fight him off grow weaker as the image in front of her hazed and blurred. She identified what she could hear as being as if she were underwater, floating, and even the sharp pain began to feel numb and fuzzy.

"Don't you dare pass out! Fucking wake up!" He shouted, inches from her face drawing back a clumsy fist before it crunched carelessly into her jaw line.

Suddenly fear like she'd never felt before—not even before accepting her life would end here—coursed like ice through her veins. The sensation choked and smothered her before she became aware of something very odd. The repulsive man hovering above her eyes had widened and glazed over, face rapt with what she believed to be the same paralysing sensation she felt herself. Suddenly it evaporated just as quickly and swamped over her as she closed her eyes.


	2. 2 She Just Wants to Be

**A/N: A lot of the earlier chapters are quite short in length. Also all the chapters are named after R.E.M. songs**

She Just Wants To Be

"_It's not like if angels_

_Could truly look down_

_Stir up the trappings_

_A light on the ground_

_Remind us of what, when, why or who_

_The hows up to us_

_Me and you"_

* * *

><p>To people who met her she was a bitch and scary as hell. To the guys she turned down she was a stuck up prude who thought she was too good for them. To her friends she was strong and brave but painfully uptight. To her family she was damaged but precious. To herself she was weak and dangerous. Quinn Fabray had two secrets. That she was a vampire and has been for 200 years and that she's in love with a human, Rachel Berry.<p>

_Quinn first saw Rachel one day in town when her family had just moved to Lima from Greece where they'd spent the majority of the summer. It was late August had been raining solidly all day. Quinn liked it when it rained; people don't ever stop to make idle conversation or chat when it's raining, they just walk on by rushing to get to where they need to be. Rachel had been wearing a bright multicoloured jacket with a huge umbrella, Quinn had been sure it was the same size, if not bigger, than the small girl and the image had made her smile._

_Quinn didn't feel the cold and only had her Greek summer appropriate clothing with her so she'd gone out in just a thin grey hoodie and jeans. She had been on her way to buy a raincoat in an attempt to look less out of place when she bumped into the smaller girl.  
>"You must be cold. What's your name? I haven't seen you around before. Did you just move here?"<br>Energy and light radiated off the tiny brunette and it had made Quinn feel warmer than she had felt in a long time. This girl had dreams and talent and overflowing motivation and Quinn found it captivating.  
>"Um hello? Are you okay?" the girl continued a concerned frown on her face.<br>Quinn snapped out of her daze, "Hi, yes. I'm Quinn Fabray. I just moved here from out of town." Quinn said straightening her posture into the classic 'Fabray stance; set jaw, shoulders back and a smug half smirk on her face.  
>"Oh cool. I'm Rachel. Are you starting at McKinley this year? You look around my age maybe we'd be in the same class. I'll be a sophomore"<br>The idea of seeing this girl again excited Quinn. She hadn't spent time with anyone but her family in so long and it was a lonely existence. In the back of her mind her doubts nagged away; she was a monster who had killed before and getting close to someone who she could really care about was dangerous. She couldn't put this fascinating girl with a whole life's worth of potential through that. Deciding to watch her from afar instead, Quinn put up her defences.  
>"I am and I've already spoken to their cheer leading coach about joining. I don't want to commit to anything that might prove detrimental to my social status at this point. Goodbye Rachel," and with that the sodden haired blonde turned and walked away leaving the brunette hurt and rejected for the first time of many to come. <em>

Quinn had gone home straight away and picked up the phone, enrolling herself in Rachel's year at McKinley high. The next day she paid a visit to Coach Sylvester to request to be a Cheerio. She impressed her with her vampire enhanced acrobatic prowess and been made co-captain on the spot.  
>Quinn started at the school in the fall and had been dismissive and rude to Rachel at every opportunity while enrolling herself in every one of the brunette's classes so she could spend as much time near the girl as possible. Quinn slowly fell in love with the girl for her optimism, conviction, enthusiasm and huge dreams of stardom. Quinn got to know many things about the girl from watching her in class and in the hallway. And when Brittany and Santana, her two friends from Cheerios, suggested they join Glee club she jumped at the chance to be around Rachel when she performed, citing it as spying for Sue to better aid the Cheerios. Rachel amazed her; her voice was like nothing else and it felt like sunlight seeping under Quinn's skin warming her from the inside out. Quinn's growing love for Rachel gave her a permanent sense for the girl. She could tell, if she focused, how the girl felt wherever she was. Quinn hoped one day maybe she could be friends with the smaller girl and trust herself enough to let her get close but for now she was content to just observe.<p>

* * *

><p>Quinn loved to run. She had enjoyed it during her human life and now she could run so much faster, it was a rush she always looked forward to. Running at speeds impossible for humans would definitely alert some suspicion and unwanted attention from the locals, so Quinn always ran in the deep woods outside of town. It gave her a chance to clear her head and be alone in nature. Knowing how people felt was a curse. Especially teenagers with their hormone-fuelled emotions and in a school full of them it often became rather difficult to shut out. At best it left her head full of white noise suppressing any other thoughts. In the woods her head was free and clear of other people except for Rachel who she held in the corner of her mind.<p>

Thinking it was almost time to head home Quinn paused to take in the picturesque surroundings; moonlight trickled through thick green canopies and apart from the light breeze rustling the leaves, there was a quiet calm in the darkness. Suddenly a sharp pain ripped through her mind. Causing her body to crumple as she cradled her head to her chest. Fear and pain roared in her ears and the sickly smell of fresh blood rushed to her nostrils. "Rachel," Quinn managed to croak out before taking off to sprint back towards the town, desperation coursing through her body.


	3. 3 We All Go Back to Where We Belong

**A/N:First of all thank you/hello to everyone who commented/favorited/added to alert. The email notifications made me so happy :D. **

**Secondly, I have already written up to the end of chapter 6 from then on it's less set in stone (but I've still planned all the backstories and what will happen in a general arc) so I can't predict exactly how updating will go as this is unfamiliar ground for me but I'll let you know!**

We all go back to where we belong

"_I dreamt what you were offering_

_Imagine lying next to me_

_You should, and your reputation talks._

_I will write our story in my mind_

_Write about our dreams and triumphs_

_This might be my 'Innocence Lost'."_

"_Don't you dare pass out! Fucking wake up!"_

* * *

><p>Quinn turned into the alleyway taking in the image of Rachel; in a pool of blood, her face disfigured. A large, grimy man hovering over her, holding her wrists - they looked like fragile twigs in his huge calloused hands. Fury at someone hurting Rachel burned white hot in Quinn. Her urge to rip every limb he'd ever touched her with clean from his body was held barely below a paper thin surface. Quinn dredged a memory, from the darkest moment of her existence and pushed the terror and hatred it encompassed at the scene in front of her. The man froze above Rachel's tiny broken form before clambering to his feet and fleeing.<p>

"Rachel? Rachel!" Quinn called rushing to kneel at the broken girl's side, eyes frantically surveying her injuries. She was immediately aware of Rachel's lack of response and closed, swollen eyes.

"Rach! No! No, no, no! Look at me!" Quinn pleaded with the girl desperate for her to be okay.

"Rach, can you hear me?" The smaller girl had lost consciousness. Quinn could feel she was still alive; she saw the blood softly pumping round her bruised and broken body, oozing from her wounds and congealing. Not knowing what else to do, she bit down on her lip hard before pressing her mouth roughly to Rachel's; the only way to force her to ingest some of her blood – her actions met with a thick silence.

Quinn would never forgive herself for being out running so far away if Rachel died. Suddenly the smaller girl gasped and a pained groan tore through her throat. Quinn pulled back bringing her wrist to her mouth before biting down hard and holding her gushing wrist to Rachel's mouth. Instinctively Rachel took it and as she swallowed the cold metallic liquid her wounds began to close. A sickening crack rang out as her wrist snapped back into place as it healed. Terrified eyes opened, panic was washing over Rachel as she attempted to recognise her surroundings.

She gasped, "Quinn? Is that you? What's going on?" her voice croaky. The bruising from Rachel's face began to reabsorb as the healing properties of Quinn's blood finished repairing the more superficial damage.

Rushed, Quinn pushed the first emotion she could think of onto Rachel, a sudden calm sensation washed over her as her features relaxed. The blonde stood quickly, turned and ran, leaving the - at least physically - repaired girl to process what had just happened. Quinn felt terrible leaving, her heart trying to draw her back to the fragile brunette, but she knew if she left while Rachel was still disorientated perhaps the girl would never remember seeing her and she wouldn't have to deal with the inevitable questions.

* * *

><p>Quinn was covered in a mixture of blood; her own and Rachel's smeared together on her skin and clothing. The smell was overpowering, as Quinn struggled to ignore the pounding desire to hunt and kill.<p>

Desperate to get home as fast as possible, Quinn sprinted back to the huge out of town mansion her family lived in. Slamming the door to the outside world behind her, she stood stock-still finally beginning to process what had just happened.

"The Fuck did you just do Quinn?" her sister Fran shouted from upstairs. "I can smell fresh blood on you from here, if you fucking killed someone Russ is going to kick you out so fast." Quinn took the stairs up to Fran's room 3 at a time before rounding the corner into her room. "You look awful. What happened?" her eyes raked over Quinn critically. Rachel's blood was over her arms and shorts. Her own blood coated her hand and was smeared up her forearm.

"Rachel... she got attacked. I had to save her Fran. I couldn't lose her," Quinn couldn't even make eye contact with her sister, too focused on trying to sense if Rachel was okay.  
>"You mean that annoying girl you've been moping over and going to high school again for?" Quinn nodded. "You're pathetic. I hope you've got a fucking good cover up. Go eat something, you look dead." Frannie chuckled at her own joke. "Well, more dead than normal."<p>

"You fucking suck at vampire humour," Quinn spat back incredulously, offended by her sister's dismissive attitude towards Rachel and her feelings for her.

* * *

><p>Standing in the middle of her bedroom Quinn looked down at herself. Beginning to realise what just happened and what it could mean for her. The smell of Rachel's blood permeated her nostrils endlessly. Quinn felt so real in this moment covered in blood, she'd spent so many years a ghost, just existing, never really interacting with or affecting anyone's life, just being a silent observer. The rush of fear she had felt at nearly losing Rachel still coursed through her veins, what if Rachel never would have known how she felt? Quinn began to peal off her ruined clothes turning to look at herself in the bathroom mirror. Quinn stopped abruptly seeing the blood smeared down her cheek and shoulder where Rachel's bloodied hand had grasped at her as she healed. She traced it slowly with her fingertip.<p>

Suddenly realisation struck. What would Rachel remember? What if Rachel figured out everything; what Quinn is, how she feels? How could she possibly explain away what had happened? She couldn't tell Rachel what she was; she was bound to tell someone, leaving her with only one option – to lie. She was going to have to lie to Rachel.

Quinn leaned close to the mirror taking a damp cloth and began to wipe her face and neck. Maybe she could pretend she had been out jogging and found Rachel blacked out in the alley from low blood sugar and waited until she came around so Rachel would think she had hallucinated everything. Quinn laughed at herself, was she really going to try and erase this night in the same manner as she was cleaning the evidence from herself. Quinn threw the cloth carelessly over her shoulder landing it square in the small corner bin. She would have to pretend she had no idea of the events that night. Pretending that she hadn't even seen Rachel, while leaving the girl to deal with the trauma by herself. Quinn hated what she would have to do; to lie to the girl she was falling in love with, but it was necessary to protect Rachel from the truth about vampires.

Quinn stepped into a hot shower, the water cascading over marble skin, warming it gently. Quinn liked hot showers; it made her feel like, for a few minutes, she could be alive. The warm water caused her blood to flow fast and her skin to tingle. She would have to wait until school to see what Rachel knew go from there, until then all she could do was wait.


	4. 4 I Don't Sleep I Dream

**A/N: Cassicio - I have a feeling this chapter won't make that decision much easier.**

I Don't Sleep I Dream

"_You looking to dig my dreams,_

_Be prepared for anything,_

_You come into my little scene."_

* * *

><p>Rachel had been desperately trying to make sense of Friday night all weekend and still now as she walked the hallway to her locker, she remained in a preoccupied daze. How had she been walking home from her singing lesson one minute and the next thing she remembered was waking up on the harsh pavement of a dank alley covered in blood with rips in her clothing? Everything was black and hazy and the only image, still shrouded in smoke, was Quinn. Quinn Fabray had something to do with this. All weekend she tried to figure out what happened to her and how Quinn was involved. Somehow she knew Quinn hadn't hurt her, in fact she had an undeniable feeling that Quinn had somehow saved her.<p>

Quinn stood peering into her open locker. She didn't need anything—she could remember her class timetable for the last 50 years—but today, after what happened, Quinn didn't feel like making meaningless conversation with the Cheerio's or turning up to class early and drawing attention to herself. So she was just standing, pretending not to know what she needed while the student body passed by remaining oblivious to what she was.

Turning the corner into Quinn's hall, Rachel saw her. She had to ask if she knew anything about what had happened and why her head was swimming with images of Quinn all weekend. "Quinn?" Rachel began softly. Quinn moved in closer to her locker inspecting her nails hoping Rachel would think she hadn't heard and leave her alone. "Quinn? I need to talk to you about something," Rachel repeated now standing closer.

"What is it Rachel? Because I'm pretty sure Santana already told you those shoes are ugly." Taken aback by Quinn's outburst Rachel stepped backwards. "I just. I wanted to ask you what you did on Friday night."

_Fuck fuck fuck. She remembers seeing me._ "Not a lot. Went jogging with my brother outside of town. Why?" Quinn asked tentatively.

"I thought I, well I'm not sure. I just thought I maybe saw you. And something weird happened. And I don't know. I thought maybe you saw what happened." Quinn watched Rachel, feeling her pain and her uncertainty whilst trying to maintain her bitch stare. It would be better for Rachel in the long run, Quinn had told herself. She loved Rachel, but she couldn't involve her in her world and her family. It just wasn't safe so as much as it sucked to inflict pain on the person she cared so much about, Quinn had sworn to protect Rachel from everything - even herself.

"I have no idea what you're talking about Rachel. Maybe you should see someone about that. Alcohol could really damage your future career."

"I didn't... I don't drink. I don't know what happened. I just remember seeing and almost sensing you were there. Everything is just such a blur." Rachel was picking at her nail cuticles and looking down. Quinn's heart was breaking seeing how anxious and distressed she was. Quinn wanted so badly to hold her and take away her pain but she couldn't reveal herself. What if she couldn't trust Rachel to keep her secret? What if Rachel became terrified of her and she had to leave town and never see her again?

In an attempt to soothe her, Quinn began to push calm and content emotions without realising she had pushed the same sensation to Rachel in panic when she'd begun to wake up on the night of the accident. Rachel visibly relaxed. Her hands fell to her sides and her shoulders rolled back upright. A hint of a smile crept on her face and it melted Quinn. Suddenly the smile fell, deep brown eyes shooting to meet hazel.

"You. I felt like this before. Exactly like this. It was really sudden. Made me feel so calm and happy, but how?" Rachel began to reach out for Quinn's arm, noticing Quinn flinched away but not before delicate fingers brushed against her icy cold skin. "Oh my god! What the hell?" Rachel retracted her hand into her chest shocked. "How are you so cold?" Rachel continued to stare into Quinn's eyes desperately searching them for answers.

"I remember it was cold on Friday. I thought it was the ground but it felt like the cold was holding me, protecting me."

Terrified by how much Rachel could remember just from such brief conversation, Quinn quickly interrupted.

"You are seriously crazy. Stay away from me. You need some serious help. Clinical help. I have to get to class." Quinn reached out and grasped the book she needed, closing her locker without even a glance before turning and swiftly losing herself in the sea of hurried students. Rachel was left frozen in place, a perplexed look on her face as she tried to process the new flashes of memory illuminated by the brief encounter.

* * *

><p>Quinn avoided Rachel for the next few days only falling under a few puzzled glances in class. Skipping Glee club under the guise of extra Cheerio's leadership training and sitting out in her car during lunch. She made it to Friday before another encounter with the smaller girl.<p>

The halls were quiet; Fridays usually meant everyone couldn't wait to get out of school and home for the weekend. Assuming Rachel would have somewhere to be, Quinn stopped by her locker to grab a folder after practice.  
>Rachel had cancelled her singing lesson, too scared to travel home in the dark, deciding to do some practice after school instead and leave to drive home while it was still light. After the previous Friday every noise made her jump, a car door slamming, the sound of footsteps. She couldn't even focus on the things she loved, startled by the shadows in the large auditorium. Just as she was about to leave she realised she had chemistry homework due on Monday and left her notes in her locker. She'd been so distracted recently, plagued by trying to decipher the events of the previous week, forgetting things and leaving things all over the place. Even her dads noticed she was barely eating and was choosing to do her schoolwork on the kitchen island so she could be near familiar voices and the safety of her fathers. Her eyes were sullen with lack of sleep and turbulent dreams, always awakening with nightmares of large foul smelling men attacking her in the dark. Rachel paced down the corridor quickly, wanting to get her notes and get to the safety of her car to get home as fast as possible. Rachel saw Quinn, as on Monday, with her blonde head in her locker and a Cheerio's kit bag dumped at her feet. Seeing a chance to ask Quinn more questions in private this time, Rachel quickly hurried to her side.<p>

"You saved me didn't you?" This direct question caused the blonde to turn quickly. Quinn decided to just play dumb and plaster a faux look of confusion on her face.

"I remember I was in pain and then you were there. You saved me. I know you did I just don't know how" Rachel continued, finally giving a voice to the suspicions that had been snowballing all week. "I keep thinking about you, how I know nothing about you from before you transferred here."

"I can't talk about it Rachel. You wouldn't understand." Quinn could tell the girl was desperate; it made her want to ease Rachel's fear so badly.

"Please Quinn. I don't understand _this_ now. Who are you? What happened to me? I couldn't sleep all weekend; I had a splitting headache, but my mind just wouldn't be quiet, it was racing."

"Rachel I can't. I don't know what you want from me." Rachel's distress was starting to get to Quinn. What could she do? Telling Rachel the truth wasn't an option but watching the girl she loved self implode would tear Quinn apart.

"Just tell me the truth Quinn. What's going on? Since last Friday I keep thinking about you and I don't know why, the feeling that you can help me is so overwhelming it's lead me to this; confronting you in the corridor begging for answers."

"Rachel stop it. Just stop. You don't know what you're talking about."

"Quinn I think I do know what I'm talking about this time. I was covered in blood. I feel like I can remember dying, like I was drifting away but you caught me and fixed it. I felt so connected to you this last week, like you were watching over me even when you weren't around, like a part of you was still with me."

Quinn was frozen. Rachel had almost pieced it together. It had been a matter of time but the only other choice was letting the girl before her die to the hands of some disgusting brute. Any hope of throwing Rachel off suspecting her was long gone. Perhaps if she could be cruel and cold, Rachel wouldn't want to be around her to figure out either of her deepest secrets. That she was a vampire and that she was desperately in love with Rachel.

"Rachel, stay away from me. You'll be safer that way." Quinn was unsure how Rachel would take the warning or if it would only confirm her suspicions further.

"Quinn you make me feel safe. Whenever I see you I feel like I can breathe, like maybe whatever happened to me was just a bad nightmare and you are waking me up and it's not real."

"Rachel no. You don't know me. I'm not a good person." Quinn frantically tried to process what was going on and what to say to Rachel. She just needed more time to fix this.

"You are! I can tell. I can see it in your eyes; how you look at me." Rachel's eyes bore into her pleadingly.

Quinn realised she wasn't even hiding her feelings for Rachel; this couldn't be going much worse. If she couldn't convince Rachel she hadn't been the one to save her perhaps there was still hope she wouldn't realise how she felt about the girl. Putting on her best bitch glare, Quinn stared down into the searching eyes.

"How about no?" Quinn spoke through gritted teeth. She straightened her posture and clenched her jaw before bending to pick up the bag at her feet, slinging it over her shoulder. She turned to slam shut her locker and walk briskly towards the glass double doors.

"Quinn wait. Please?" a small voice called out to her, it felt like a knife being sunk deep in her chest abandoning her. Only the thought that she was doing this for Rachel's own good to protect her, allowed her to keep her resolve until she could get to her car and drive until the school, and Rachel were out of sight, even if permanently in her mind.


	5. 5 So Fast, So Numb

**A/N: Okay so this chapter comes with some warnings: Trigger warnings: Self-injury. **

**Thank you again to everyone who has reviewed/favorited/put this on alert. It's made checking my e-mail awesome :D. And thank you and hi to those who read this chapter also :)**

**I like hearing what you think about the story and directions it's going in as a lot of what's coming up is more loosely drafted than these chapters have been so it's still pretty flexible. :)**

So Fast, So Numb

"_Your blood is running cold_

_Listen. This is now. This is here. This is me._

_This is what I wanted you to see."_

* * *

><p>Quinn had now made it to Friday evening; a whole week since Rachel got attacked. Despite a close run-in earlier that day with Rachel asking questions she didn't have answers for, she didn't seem to have realised the extent of what had happened or the truth of what Quinn was. She hoped this meant that things could go back to their weird McKinley version of normal. Quinn was naive and hadn't realised the extent to which Rachel had put together the shadows in her memory.<p>

Over time Rachel had pieced most of the events of last Friday together. Like a 5000 piece puzzle, she started at the edge of the corners working her way in and now the image was taking form. She had been attacked and badly hurt by someone - she could remember the pain - wincing at the memory as her fingers ghosted the wound to her back. Her clothes had carried clues; grime and blood coated the back of her jacket and the thin coat and shirt beneath had clean, vertical tears.

Quinn had saved her, she was sure of it. She had appeared at the moment she needed help most, protected her and healed her somehow. As romantic as it sounded to Rachel, she was pretty sure Quinn wasn't her guardian angel. The guarded girl had a bitter and dark side that spoke of great distress and pain; Rachel thought Quinn had to be more of a guardian devil. Quinn had helped her but now she didn't want to talk and was fiercely avoiding Rachel, she didn't want any credit for saving her life but helped her nonetheless.

Earlier that day Quinn had looked very distressed by Rachel's unhappiness but Rachel knew instinctively that Quinn wasn't the one to hurt her and her guilt was more likely due to her secrecy rather than being the cause of her injuries. She remembered being touched by big clumsy hands and foul smelling breath, which definitely wasn't the blonde - Quinn was gentle, precise and always smelt faintly like vanilla. Quinn certainly wasn't human to have had the power to find and heal Rachel, yet she seemed so ashamed and self-loathing.

Quinn would never admit what she was unless Rachel forced her to use her powers again and Rachel needed Quinn in her life. She felt safe around the stoic and secretive girl; when she saw the blonde in class it felt like the rocks on her chest threatening to crush her organs had been lifted. There had to be a way to find Quinn out of school and make her tell her what she was.

Rachel sat on the windowsill of her bedroom leaning against the frame, her legs folded up and her feet holding her in place. Rachel loved to sit like this and just look out over the nearby streets, and on clear nights the gentle lights of the town beyond. Quinn could be anywhere - she was quiet, agile and never stayed still. Rachel didn't even know where the Fabrays lived or who her family was.

Rachel thought back again to the previous day in class. Quinn always sat two seats behind and one to the left and sometimes she would swear it felt like Quinn's eyes could burn a hole in her head, often making awkward eye contact before the blonde would roll her eyes dismissively. Rachel had been rapidly flicking through the textbook looking for an answer on the tip of her tongue and had sliced her finger on the pages eliciting a hiss as she winced from the stinging pain. What had been unusual though, was that Quinn had reacted. There was no way she could have seen what happened yet the blonde looked flustered and was covering her face with a loosely clenched fist while rapidly tapping her notes with a pen. Suddenly Quinn stood up and politely asked to be excused saying she felt unwell all of a sudden, still covering her mouth with one hand as she pressed the fingers of the other to her forehead and ran them roughly through her hair. Quinn's eyes had flicked back and forth from their teacher to the soft pad of Rachel's wounded finger. Quinn left the room and wasn't seen again all day - it was as if the sight and smell of even a small cut had distressed the blonde so greatly she'd had to escape the enclosed space of the classroom.

Finally it clicked - all the light switches in Rachel's head had suddenly been jammed on. Her heart began to race with realisation. Quinn was a vampire. It made total sense, except of course that vampires aren't real, Rachel thought scolding herself. It had been Quinn's blood Rachel could remember tasting, a cool metallic sensation that trickled down her throat. If Quinn was physically bothered by a small cut, Rachel could only imagine the distress Quinn must have felt finding her crumpled body covered in blood. There was no way Quinn could react that way to everyone who gets even a small cut, with all the people in the local hospital Quinn wouldn't be able to function – Quinn must feel differently for her, they were connected somehow.

Rachel wanted so badly for Quinn to just own up to what she was and how she felt so that they could do something so simple as just spend time together. Rachel found the blonde fascinating; she was stunningly beautiful and smart and had practically taken over the school in the year since she transferred. She clearly cared about Rachel, cared enough to risk exposing herself, and if she came to her aid once maybe she would do it again.

Rachel was desperate - the only guaranteed way that Quinn would come to her was if she was in danger. Rachel didn't like the idea of tempting fate, wandering alleyways at night until she found someone who would attack her, but she had an idea of a way to make Quinn come to help her exactly where she was.

Rachel wasn't doing this because she wanted to die. She knew Quinn would come to her and it would give Quinn no choice but to admit the truth. Rachel took the small craft knife in her hand. Usually she used it to put together photo books of glee events and never imagined she'd be using it for this. To test how sharp it was she gently pressed the pad of her index finger to the tip of the blade, piercing the skin with a wince. This was going to hurt - a lot.

Rachel was scared, what if she was wrong and Quinn didn't care and it was all a weird coincidence that she acted strangely and Quinn's dismissive behaviour over the last week had been genuine. Holding her breath and gripping the knife so tight the muscles in her fingers began to burn, Rachel began to drag the blade across her forearm, "agh fuck" Rachel said through a sharp intake of breath as she bit her bottom lip hard. Clenching and unclenching her fist Rachel watched as blood began to bead and form droplets that began a path down her arm. She scrunched her nose and eyes leaning back and hitting her head on the window frame to try and distract from the sharp pain. The bleeding came fast - she could feel the blood pulse in her arm as the pain showed no signs of ceasing despite the adrenalin now coursing her veins. The first droplet of blood dripped landing in the darkened hedge below. It was soon joined by a steady stream of drips as blood trickled down Rachel's arm like a window pane.

"Ugh she must be able to feel that. Where is she?" Rachel said to herself under her breath. Rachel could see her vision clouding, a gentle fog falling on her brain - shadows crept in from the sides as her vision closed in.

"Ugh fuck come on don't pass out, don't pass out it's just a little bit of blood." Now holding on to the sill firmly with her free hand Rachel tried to stare into the distance searching desperately for the blonde. Fear began to set in - what if Quinn wasn't going to come? What if Rachel was going to black out? Or worse die and everyone would think she committed suicide? She couldn't die here. Not after all the effort her and her fathers had put into her life and her future. She wasn't about to throw that all away over something as silly as trying to figure out if her classmate was a vampire. It all sounded so ridiculous in that moment; of course Quinn Fabray wasn't a vampire. Vampires don't exist. Right? Vampires don't exist and Rachel was risking her life on a hunch. She felt so stupid as the fog in her brain thickened and her body felt heavy and weak all the while blood was still running in streams and rivers down her wrist, tracing the lines through her palm and dripping from her fingertips.

Gentle footsteps and rustling captured the last of Rachel's consciousness.

"Quinn?" she called out feebly into the night. Two hands appeared alongside Rachel as Quinn pulled herself up vaulting into the 2nd story window.

"Rachel what the hell are you doing?" Quinn demanded quietly, the frustration evident in her voice.

"I had to make you talk to me." Rachel said weakly with a smile. "Quinn I know what you are it's okay. I won't tell anyone. I just want to be around you."

"Fuck Rachel, if you wanted to talk you didn't have to do this." Quinn muttered out as she tried to assess Rachel's injury.

"I tried asking you but you just closed up and pushed me away." guilt washed over Quinn as she realised this was her fault - all this time she'd been avoiding telling Rachel the truth in the name of protecting her; protecting her from the truth and from Quinn. But all it had done was lead Rachel to risk her own life just to make Quinn tell her the truth. Quickly, Quinn took off her light jacket and rolled it up putting pressure on the deep wound on Rachel's arm.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't know you wanted to know this much. I thought you'd just let it go."

"I'm Rachel Barbra Berry, when have you ever known me to give up. I take everything to the dramatic extreme." Rachel said with a weak laugh. Her eyes had now slipped shut and her head was lolled to the side.

"Hey, hey Rach look at me." no response came from the small girl, as the bleeding showed no sign of stopping. "Rach please stay awake." Her eyes searched Rachel's face desperately.

Rachel's eyes opened weakly, her head still resting to the side "Quinn it's you. You came for me. I knew you wouldn't let me die." Her eyes drooped shut again.

Rachel had lost a lot of blood and Quinn only knew one way to help her at this point. With a groan Quinn brought her free wrist to her mouth biting down to draw blood.

"Here Rach this'll make you feel better. Come on just a little bit."

"Quinn I'm so tired." holding her wrist up to Rachel's mouth the girl parted her lips, taking the blonde's cold hand in hers as she began to drink the cool, deep red liquid. Quinn pulled away her jacket as she watched the wound shallow out before closing in from the edges. Finally the skin looked as if no blade had ever touched it. Colour slowly returned to the brunette's pale and faded cheeks and her deep chestnut eyes reopened. She released the blonde's wrist and the bite quickly healed. Rachel smiled meeting Quinn's hazel eyes for the first time.

"You came," a half smile of relief crept over Quinn's face.

"You are the biggest drama queen I've ever met. What would have happened if I didn't come?"

"I knew you would."


	6. 6 I'll Take the Rain

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews :D. The next chapter will probably be going up this weekend as this is my last week of term I'm having a bit of a crazed rush finishing off coursework!**

6 - I'll take the Rain

"_I used to think as birds take wing_

_They sing through life so why can't we?"_

* * *

><p>Quinn helped Rachel down from the windowsill, propping her up against the wall before she went into Rachel's en suite to find a cloth to clean the blood off of the girl. A sense of déjà vu set in, Quinn was getting uncomfortably familiar with cleaning blood from her arms and face as she peered at her reflection making sure to get the last smears. She'd have to wash her clothing when she got home.<p>

She returned to the fragile girl's side with warm water and a cloth, first cleaning her own blood from Rachel's face and neck before rinsing it and cleaning where the deep gouge had been on her arm. Quinn traced the trail of blood down Rachel's tan forearm until she was satisfied it no longer looked like life threatening amounts of blood had taken that path minutes earlier.

"Rachel, if you take off your jumper I can take it home with me and wash it. Having to do laundry because we have blood on our clothes is a lot less unusual in my house than I hope it is in yours" Quinn spoke as she moved to discard the red tinged water.

Rachel nodded "Okay, yeah that would be good. Thank you." She finished with a smile up at the blonde. "Could you give me a hand taking it off? I still feel pretty shaky." Rachel felt sick and dizzy and didn't think the prospect of having to hold her own weight and stand up would be very successful.

Quinn paused; she wasn't sure how she felt about the act of removing the girl's clothing, even if it was just a jumper. It would require her to get pretty close and at that proximity the usually comforting smell of Rachel that Quinn had grown to love would be extremely potent. Quinn nodded to herself resolute; deciding if she could be around Rachel's blood she could handle this. She carefully helped lift the jumper off Rachel's petite frame. The last week's events had definitely taken a toll on Rachel physically and mentally. Quinn noticed with a frown how thin and fragile the brunette looked in just a loose t-shirt; her collarbone protruding, visible at the threadbare neckline. The shirt had "Wicked" in large letters across the front, the poster design was cracked and peeling slightly from years of wear.

Quinn was torn between staying and finally spending time talking with Rachel or leaving before she managed to do something stupid to ruin their potential friendship. Debating what would be most appropriate in this situation, she balled up the hoodie and peered out the window, checking if anyone was around to see her vault effortlessly from the second floor window.

"Quinn?" Rachel asked looking up at the blonde.

"Hey, what's up? Are you okay? I'm going to go now I think. Let you sleep. You should rest." Quinn was beginning to ramble under the questioning glance of the girl still sitting on the floor.

"Um." Rachel's stare faltered, her eyes dropping to the floor. "Can you stay? Just for a while. I just don't want to be alone. I get kind of scared after… you know, what happened. I don't want you to go yet. Just stay and talk to me for a bit. Please?" Rachel's eyes re-met Quinn's at the final plea. A small smile was creeping over Quinn's face, the brunette was nervous and she had rambled even more than Quinn had. The way Rachel was looking at her; that she actually wanted her to be around, Quinn couldn't remember anyone ever looking at her like that and in that moment she knew she'd probably never be able to deny Rachel anything.

"Yes. I'll stay." Quinn answered with a kind smile, genuine in her hazel eyes. "I'll stay as long as you want." Her smile turned shy at the added detail. Quinn sat down opposite Rachel, leaning back against the pink fluffy bed. "So I guess you probably have a lot of questions?"

* * *

><p>"So you're a vampire?" Rachel blurted out.<p>

"Yes" Quinn owed honesty to the girl after withholding information for so long.

"Can you fly?"

"Yes"

"Really?" excitement and disbelief in Rachel's voice.

"No Rach, I can't fly." Quinn deadpanned.

"How old are you then?"

"Haven't you ever heard it's rude to ask a lady her age?" The blonde asked with a smirk.

"Quinn..." A raised eyebrow from the brunette was all that was needed for the blonde's sarcastic front to crumble.

"223"

"Whoa..." eyes widening at the realisation.

"Yeah..."

"So where did you live before? Where are you from?" Rachel asked readjusting her legs to cross them beneath her, Quinn was fascinating, and she wanted to know everything about the girl.

"England originally; London actually. Then Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Canada, USA. We've moved a lot."

"We?" Pictures of a huge coven of bats flying around the world suddenly popped into Rachel's head.

"My family and me. My parents, my sister Frannie and my brother John."

"Are you like... related, related? Or like vampire related?" Rachel had no idea how or what family even meant to vampires.

"Were vampire related." Quinn answered with a light chuckle.

"So if vampires aren't cool enough to fly what can you do?" The brunette enquired teasingly; the mood light between the two.

"Hmm... well I can tell what emotions people are feeling and I can push an emotion I've felt onto them so they feel it as if it were theirs. I can run fast and heal fast. My blood heals humans. And if I care a lot about someone I know if they are in danger." Quinn's voice grew quieter towards the end of her explanation, shyly looking down playing with the carpet.

"So you care about me?" a smile forming on Rachel's lips as she looked up into Quinn's face.

"Maybe." The blonde was now behaving as if Rachel's bedroom floor was the most interesting thing she'd ever seen.

"So what am I feeling?" Rachel asked, changing the subject.

"You are kinda scared and anxious" Quinn began before pausing to look searchingly at the brunette "But not so much as at school earlier."

"I feel safe around you." The brunette smiled honestly at her own statement.

"You should. I'm very strong." Quinn deadpanned with a smirk earning an eye roll from the brunette.

"Can I ask you something?" Rachel began her tone serious.

"Sure Rach. I mean I'm confused what all those other things you said were but go for it."

"Smartass. Will you stay here tonight?" Quinn's expression quickly turned serious as she waited for Rachel to continue. "I haven't been sleeping since what happened and I finally feel safe with you here. Will you stay so I can sleep? I'm just so, so tired."

"I don't know, wouldn't that be weird? I mean you don't know me."

"I know you care for me and I know you can keep me safe and that's good enough for me." Rachel said truthfully, if anyone could protect her, a 223 year-old vampire with superpowers had the best chance.

"Okay," Quinn smiled at the honesty of Rachel's answer, "I'll sit here next to the bed."

Rachel then climbed into her bed, fighting a losing battle to keep her eyes open.

"Thank you for catching me Quinn." Rachel mumbled out, her eyes closed, falling asleep before ever getting a response from the blonde.

* * *

><p>"Quinn?" Rachel asked, opening her eyes. She had slept all the way through to her alarm and had never been so relieved to finally be once again woken by its blaring call.<p>

A note on her bedside table read:

"I left when the sun came up. It was a beautiful view. Have a good day. Next time, if you need me call: 419-228-1275. Q"

Rachel grinned at the note before holding it to her chest, inhaling deeply. The fact that Quinn Fabray liked her was still sinking in but the note meant it wasn't a dream and the number meant Quinn wasn't going to push her away anymore.


	7. 7 Near Wild Heaven

**A/N****:**** Wow, where to start. Sorry this is so late! My exams start in two weeks so I've been revising. I had a friend of mine stay with me for most of a week, then my parents took me on holiday somewhere with no internet which was awesome (and meant I had to watch last weeks episode 4 days late which was not cool). This hasn't been fully beta'd so sorry for any mistakes, she only went over an early draft of it! Thank you all for being patient and hi to any new people! X**

Near Wild Heaven

"_Whatever it takes I'm giving_

_It's just a gift I'm given."_

* * *

><p>Rachel spent Saturday catching up on all the things she'd been too exhausted to do. Her fathers were relieved watching her eagerly eat her breakfast for the first time in a fortnight before she'd set to tidying her room, sorting out her school notes from the week and planning out her latest photo scrap book in preparation for the glee club's sectionals competition.<p>

When evening came and the sun began to set, Rachel's anxiety crept in. Her fathers despaired as she pushed her dinner around her plate visibly preoccupied, soon excusing herself to her room.

She sat on her bed turning her phone over in her hand. Quinn had offered to come over if she needed something but asking her to babysit her probably wasn't what she'd had in mind when she'd made the open offer. Deciding it was this or another sleepless night Rachel quickly turned the screen of her phone on and tapped out a quick message, pressing send straight away.

"Hi it's Rachel. I feel stupid asking but would you be able to sit with me again? R"

As soon as she read the message back she knew Quinn would think she was being pathetic. She sat turning the screen of her phone on and off checking to see if the blonde had replied.

"Staring at the screen isn't going to make her reply any faster." She muttered to herself before tossing her phone on the pillow beside her and flopping back onto the bed, letting out an exasperated sigh.

A gentle tapping caused Rachel to sit up suddenly, a look of confusion on her face before she made out blonde hair, a contrast with the darkness of her window. She rushed over to open the window and let the blonde step down into her room.

"Hey you came." Relieved at the blonde taking her text seriously.

"You seem surprised. I told you all you needed to do was text me." Quinn replied with a reassuring smile.

Rachel paused to finally take in the appearance of the other girl. She was wearing tight, dark-wash jeans with a tank top and a leather jacket with her hair down, tousled slightly and framing her face. A stark contrast to how she usually saw the blonde; in her red and white with her hair in a tight pony tail.

"See something you like." Quinn spoke snapping Rachel out of her daze.

"Sorry, I uh. I'm so used to seeing you in your uniform. I was just uh… surprised. You look… different" The brunette mumbled, trying to cover up the extended time she'd spent staring at the blonde.

Quinn replied with a raised eyebrow and a smirk "sure." as a deep pink began to spread across Rachel's cheeks.

"You look kinda like that time I bumped into you in town in the rain." Smiling at the memory of their first meeting.

The smirk quickly fell from Quinn's face, being replaced by a regretful frown.

"That was weird I just felt a little shiver. Did you feel that?" Rachel rubbed her arms as goose bumps covered her bare skin.

"Sorry that was me, that happens sometimes. I felt guilty. I was so rude to you that day. All I wanted was to be around you, you were so kind I was such a bitch." Watching Quinn chew her bottom lip gently and avert her gaze, Rachel thought the blonde looked young, like a child in trouble.

"Yeah, I remember. May I ask why?"

"I was worried if we were friends you'd find out what I was. That I wouldn't get to be around you if you got scared and told people and didn't want anything to do with me. I figured that if I was mean you wouldn't want to be friends and you'd never get close enough to find out but at least you'd still be around at school."

"But you must have known you were going to meet loads of people at school who could have figured it out." Rachel was puzzled; it didn't make sense that Quinn treated her so much differently from anyone else.

"I have a confession to make. I only enrolled at McKinley after I met you." The blonde's eyes were fixed to the floor.

"Wait what do you mean?" The simple statement shocked Rachel.

"I didn't have any plans for our time here, then I met you and you mentioned the school so I just said I was starting there. I went home and called Figgins and visited Sue later that week." Quinn spoke rushed, relaying the details.

"Wow." Rachel's eyes wide with surprise as she processed the information.

"Yeah, Sorry." Quinn couldn't do anything else but apologise and shrug. She was done lying to the brunette.

"You should be." A pointed and serious look on her face as she stared at Quinn.

All Quinn could do was frown and avert her gaze from Rachel. A teasing bat to her arm and a melodious giggle brought her attention back to the brunette "Come on don't be silly, it worked out fine! Now you just sit and guard me while I sleep. I guess nothing is ever quite as we predict." Quinn smiled, permanently grateful of Rachel giving her this second chance at friendship.

Rachel curled up and fell asleep quickly. Quinn sat and thought how right Rachel had been. 'Nothing is ever quite as we predict', sitting next to the sleeping girls bed who she'd been scared to even talk to for the last year, it finally looked like Quinn might let herself get close to another person.

As she had the night before, when the sun began to come up Quinn crept over to Rachel's window, gracefully climbing down and heading home.

* * *

><p>Sunday continued much the same and Quinn came over again once night had fallen. They less than the previous night before Rachel turned off the light and climbed into bed, Quinn taking her spot on the floor. Rachel had seemed preoccupied by something but Quinn wasn't sure if their relationship was at a point where it was acceptable to pry so she sat silently hoping the brunette would feel better in the morning. Quinn watched the brunette's back curiously as she shifted and adjusted her pillows restlessly. Suddenly Rachel rolled over in bed to face Quinn on the floor.<p>

"Can I ask you a question?" Rachel enquired hesitantly.

"Sure Rach, what's up?" Quinn replied lightly, disguising her awareness of the other girl's agitation.

"Uhm.. I've never seen you eat. Like, at school or at Glee competitions, never."

"Uh huh…" Quinn had a feeling she could guess where this conversation was going, aware of the stories and films of vampires killing and feeding from humans.

"Do you eat? Like, ever?" The brunette asked apprehensive.

"Yes… but it's kind of complicated. I can't exactly eat normal food"

"Right. What do you eat then?"

"Blood." The blonde stated frankly. Rachel had been thinking about it all evening while avoiding asking directly if Quinn fed from people.

"Oh.." Having her suspicion confirmed had scared the brunette more than she thought it would as she stared at Quinn waiting for her to talk her eyes flicking back and forth cautiously between the blondes mouth and eyes.

"My family don't kill people. Sometimes my dad brings back blood from the hospital where he works otherwise animal blood."

Rachel's face crinkled in disgust at Quinn's elaboration "I see."

Quinn decided to just sit and wait for the information to sink in, unsure what to say to Rachel who seemed clearly bothered by the entire idea.

"What happens if you try and eat normal food?" Rachel asked, attempting to break the awkward silence.

"I can't, it just makes me sick. Like, really, really sick."

"Oh wait! But I was bleeding all over the place. That must have been like a buffet table or something. That must have been really hard." Quinn flinched, Rachel had clearly been thinking about the possibility of her wanting to attack her.

"Yeah, it could have been worse. It's not so bad if I'm not hungry. I make sure to eat really regularly after the whole paper cut incident in class that time."

"Oh I remember that! Yeah, you looked pretty freaked out." Realisation at an explanation of Quinn's peculiar behaviour, Rachel sat up and shifted slightly away from the blonde.

"Should I worry that you might…" her question dying out, unable to think of the least offensive way to ask.

"Bite you? No. Like I said, my family don't kill people." Quinn spoke quickly, trying to dispel any fears Rachel might have. She was worried enough about keeping control over herself, she didn't need Rachel constantly on edge she was going to attack her as well.

"Do people always die if they get bitten? Is that how it works?" Rachel was torn between her curiosity and wanting to avoid knowing the morbid details of her potential friends life.

"Not exactly, it's more complicated than that but it's hard to stop after you…" Quinn's voice faded as she spoke, her eyes dropping to her hands as she pulled at the cuffs of her sleeves.

Rachel frowned sadly; the blonde emanated so much pain. "Have you ever… I mean, it sounds like you might be speaking from personal experience."

Quinn sat silently as Rachel watched for any reaction, taking her silence as a confirmation of sorts.

Quinn stood up suddenly, uncomfortable with Rachel's eyes on her "Rachel, I'm going to go. I understand if you don't want me near you, or you're scared or you don't want me to talk to you anymore. I know what I am and now you know what I am. I'm a monster."

"Quinn, wait." Rachel paused before continuing "Its okay."

"No it's not. It's not okay. You used to want to be around me and feel safe with me but now you're scared I might hurt you? It's never going to be okay, this is always going to be what I am. You don't understand."

"You're right. I don't understand, but everything I know about you so far I've liked."

"Hah, how can you say that? I saw the look on your face. You were scared, and you should be. Why would you want to have anything to do with me?" Quinn was starting to get distressed; Rachel could feel it like ice water trickling over her skin as she drew her covers in tightly around herself.

"I owe you my life." Rachel said softly, trying to calm the blonde down.

"I don't want you spending time with me out of pity or guilt or some kind of twisted gratitude Rachel." Quinn said poignantly.

"It's not like that. I like spending time with you. You make me smile, you make me feel safe. Everyone has a past, sure yours is a lot longer than anyone else I know but I know you aren't evil, you aren't a monster. Whatever has happened to you in the past, I don't mind. Please don't go, just stay. Please, just stay. Okay?" her brown eyes hopeful.

"Okay." The single word response was enough for Rachel; she could feel Quinn's distress starting to fade from the room.

"I trust you Quinn." Rachel smiled kindly at the blonde.

"All you have to do is smile and I feel better. You really are amazing you know."

"That's what I keep telling people." The brunette grinned.

"Clearly being amazing and being modest are mutually exclusive." Quinn chuckled at Rachel's remark.

Rachel's grin remained as she lay back down resting her head on her pillow, shuffling closer to the edge where Quinn had sat back down on the floor.

"Good night Quinn."

"Good night Rachel." A fond smile on Quinn's face as Rachel closed her eyes.


	8. 8 Near Wild Heaven Part 2

**A/N: Gosh, where to start. All my love to those of you still hanging on out there. I can't apologise enough. I went from exams, to holiday, to house hunting to generally being busy to moving house and it became hard to pick my notes back up but I kept getting the odd email notification and I noticed I had a couple reviews I hadn't read yet and it kind of pushed me to want to come back to this. I'm still super new to writing and this chapter I actually roughly drafted before my exams so I hope it'll be okay! I'm re-uploading the first chapter also after this goes up to fix a couple of formatting things. :) **

8 – Near Wild Heaven Part 2

"_My hearts thrown open wide_

_In this near wild heaven_

_Not near enough."_

Rachel had always believed a week starts as it will go on, her meticulous morning workout routine, combined with leaving early for school on Mondays to allow for a quick choir room practice session had worked wonderfully in the past.

This Monday morning however had been doomed from the start, they'd had a heavy frost, abnormally so for the middle of October, which had frozen a pipe in the house so the boiler wouldn't start, meaning she'd had to use the kettle to run a bath ruining her usual morning routine substantially.

Already running late she threw her bag onto the passenger seat of her car before sitting down and cramming the key into the ignition. A feeble whirring sound was all that met her attempts to start the car.

"Ugh, fuck." She took the keys out before replacing them carefully

"Come on. Please, please, please" her eyes squinting as she hoped this time her car would splutter to life and she could try and salvage this mess of a day. *Whirr*

"Damnit!" Rachel dropped her head to her steering wheel hopelessly. The brunette rummaged through her bag to retrieve her pink bedazzled iPhone, she instantly went to text Quinn almost on reflex.

"I'm really sorry about this but my car won't start. Is there any chance you could come by mine on your way to school? R"

"Yes. Q" The response pinged up quickly as Rachel exhaled with relief.

Quinn's little red beetle pulled up minutes later and Rachel grabbed her bag and jogged over to the passenger side door. "Thank you so much, I think it's the cold or something, my car just won't start."

"It's no worries, I drive near here on my way in anyway." Quinn smiled, chuckling lightly at the flustered brunette.

As they pulled into the school car park Rachel leaned forward to pick up her bag from the floor. The back of her hand brushed past Quinn's as she changed gear. The blonde's hand shot away as if she'd been scalded by the contact. A mumbled apology escaped Rachel's mouth; she tried to shrug off the awkward interaction, assuming Quinn had gotten so used to avoiding touching people so they didn't notice the cool marble of her skin.

As she was thinking, Rachel could feel Quinn getting anxious; her skin felt uncomfortable and prickly, her heart felt fast. She definitely wasn't going to be getting used to feeling the blondes emotions any time soon, even second hand anxiety was an unpleasant sensation. When they'd parked Quinn excused herself quickly and left towards her first class.

* * *

><p>Rachel stood by her locker sorting out her books for her next class, trying to think why Quinn would have gotten so nervous in the car, when someone walked straight into her making her lose her grip on the spine of the book she was holding as it fell to the floor. Rachel bent down to pick it up with a heavy sigh, she didn't need this day to get any worse. Unfortunately for her it seemed doomed to as she frantically began shuffling through the paper in her locker trying to find her notes from last week.<p>

Suddenly a small white object sliced through the air over her shoulder before embedding itself between two books in her locker. Surprised the brunette carefully extracted it to discover a small delicately folded paper aeroplane. Opens it up and it reads "Smile. Q" on the inside of the right wing. Turning around Rachel could see the blonde talking with Santana, catching the blonde's gaze she smiled shyly before turning back to her locker shielding the grin she now wore from sight. Calmer now, Rachel had no trouble finding the work she needed as she put it in her bag before carefully putting the paper plane in her coat pocket.

When Rachel got home she carefully took the paper aeroplane Quinn gave her out of her jacket pocket and pinned it with the message visible to her noticeboard. Smiling again in response to the simple gesture. Quinn could be incredibly sweet and thoughtful and Rachel was starting to feel like she got to see a side to the blonde that she didn't show to many other people if anyone at all and it made her feel special.

* * *

><p>Quinn came over at the same time again. At 10pm exactly a gentle tapping on Rachel's window drew her attention from the book she was reading.<p>

Quinn noticed the plane pinned up and smiled

"What are you smiling at?" Rachel asked inquisitively.

"You kept the message I sent you"

"That was really sweet what you did earlier. I couldn't find my book for English and I was worried I'd left it in my car at home. I was getting kind of flustered and it made me smile." The brunette confided.

"Yeah I could tell you were stressed. I was going to come over and say hi but Santana came over and you know what she's like." Quinn spoke as she ran her fingers through her hair.

"I'm surprised you're not a bitch all the time spending so much time around her. What with you being the emotional sponge I'd have thought you'd be saturated with bitch by now."

Quinn laughed loudly at Rachel's comment, her sharp teeth visible. "San isn't THAT bad, it's mostly a front. She's harmless really."

Rachel grinned "I think that's the first time I've seen you really laugh, your teeth are pretty impressive."

"Yes, all the better to… uhm is it too soon to make little red riding hood jokes?"

"Eat me with? I thought you were a vampire not a wolf." The brunette responded with a raised eyebrow.

"Ew yes. That would be gross, all that fur would not be okay." Quinn looked disgusted at the mental image before they both continued to laugh.

"I can't seem to stop smiling around you" Rachel shared truthfully.

"I know the feeling."

"Can I ask a question?" Rachel asked looking at Quinn's face ready to gauge her response.

"Sure." Quinn responded biting her lip anxiously.

"Why did you get nervous today in the car? When you brushed against my hand. I figured you were just used to not letting people touch you and that's why you pulled away but then you got nervous and I was just wondering what was wrong."

"You make me kind of nervous." Even thinking about it was making Quinn start to get nervous, almost simultaneously Rachel began to blush.

"I'm blushing aren't I?" Rachel asked touching her finger tips to her warm cheek.

"Yeah, I think that's me. I can't blush, but I guess when I feel like that it rubs off on you." Quinn looked at the brunette's face curiously.

"So why do I make you nervous?"

"I don't know! You just do okay? I'm just not used to talking to people about stuff or being close to anyone and it's still sinking in that I'm actually spending time with you." The blonde said clearly agitated.

* * *

><p>Tuesday<p>

Rachel sat through a painful first period of math. She couldn't wait to chat and joke around with Quinn again on the ride home and in the evening.

"Miss Berry?" Rachel's math teacher was looking at her expectantly.

"Hmm, what?" Rachel replied rushed, she'd been so lost in her own thoughts she had no idea what was going on.

"Would you care to finish off this problem?" The teacher continued pointing to the board.

"Not especially." The brunette muttered under her breath.

"Excuse me?" Rachel was clearly testing his patience.

"Sorry sir, I don't know the answer." She replied staring down at the blank notes in front of her.

"Perhaps if you paid more attention to the board and spent less time day dreaming about your boyfriend"

"I wasn't." She replied quickly.

"Whatever you were thinking about seemed more engrossing than algebra. Please try and concentrate Miss Berry." He spoke scolding.

"Yes sir." Rachel was embarrassed as she stared down even more pointedly hoping he wouldn't ask her anything else for the rest of the class.

Quinn was waiting outside the classroom when Rachel was dismissed.

"Hey!" Rachel said, glad to see Quinn after a math lesson that felt like it had dragged on for hours.

"How was class?" The blonde spoke upbeat.

"You got me in trouble." Rachel deadpanned.

"what? How!" Quinn was both defensive and confused by the statement seeing no logical reason for it.

"I was thinking about something else and wasn't paying attention." The brunette continued nonchalantly.

"I see. Thinking about me in class? Perhaps we should stop talking before my presence has a negative impact on your academic career." Quinn suggested straightening her back and looking forward in faux seriousness.

"Don't be silly, I think that was better than me falling asleep in my textbook."

"That's probably true." Quinn nodded, trying to hide how happy the idea of Rachel thinking about her in class made her.

They wondered together down the corridor towards the lunch hall.

"Do you want to come sit with me and the other Glee kids for lunch?" Rachel asked pausing to look at Quinn outside the double doors.

"No." Quinn replied instantly.

"Oh, okay." Rachel responded, taken aback by the quick, short response.

"Sorry, it's just I really hate the cafeteria." Sensing the brunette's disappointment she tried to elaborate so Rachel wouldn't think it was something to do with her.

"Sure, it's fine." The smile from moments before had vanished as Rachel began to turn towards the cafeteria and away from the blonde.

Sue Sylvester chose this moment to walk up to them, blocking Rachel's path through the door. Talking directly to Quinn and ignoring Rachel entirely.

"Q careful you might catch short. I avoid making eye contact with anyone below 5'5". Looking down is bad for my posture and I don't want to inflict the guilt of troubling my spine on those already feeling the burden of their genetic misfortune."

All Rachel could do was roll her eyes in response as Sue walked away in the same sudden fashion as she'd arrived. Rachel excused herself and left, proceeding into the lunch hall alone. She figured that even though she gets to see another side to Quinn in private, the blonde must still want to keep up appearances around school; Rachel is still a loser here after all. Sue making fun of their friendship just reminded her of what she already knew. She continued to sulk to her table and flop down into a seat next to Mercedes.

"What's up hun? Rough day?" Mercedes asked caringly.

"Just Sue and her daily bulletin that we are the bottom of the social ladder." Rachel replied bitterly

"Nothing new then. Why's it getting you down? She says crap like that all the time."

"Just been a bad day, my car wouldn't start this morning."

"Bummer, how did you get to school then?"

"Quinn gave me a lift." Rachel revealed without even thinking about it.

"Quinn gave you a lift? Quinn Fabray? You're brave to be in an enclosed space with her." Mercedes eyes were wide open with surprise.

"What? Why?" Rachel was concerned Mercedes might actually suspect something about the blonde.

"I'd be scared she'd take me somewhere so the jocks could pull a prank or she'd kill me and dump me in an alley or something." The girls vivid imagination concerned Rachel slightly as she shrugged off the comment.

"She's not that bad."

"Not that bad? I'm pretty sure she's been worse to you than anyone else at this school." Mercedes spoke with disbelief.

"I guess."

"Just be careful okay honey?" She smiled at Rachel gently. She hoped Rachel wasn't doing it just for an attempt at popularity and was going to get herself hurt.

* * *

><p>Later that evening Rachel sat down to her Tuesday evening fortnightly movie night with her dads. They'd selected award winning Million Dollar Baby. Rachel had assumed a movie about a strong woman following her dreams would be just the kind of inspirational film she would love, she had no idea it had a sad ending and she would spend the last 45 minutes of the movie in floods of tears tearing through a box of tissues. Just as the end credits were rolling her phone pinged. Leaning over while still holding a cushion tight to her chest as she curled up in one of the big lounge chairs<p>

"What's wrong? Are you upset? Q" the text made her smile through her sobs. Of course Quinn could sense her sadness and was probably sitting and fretting something was wrong. The thoughtfulness made her smile through her continued tears.

"You're very sweet but it's just a film. I'll see you later? R"

"At the usual time. Q"

A couple of hours later when Rachel had showered and calmed down, trading the pillow for a stuffed bear, the regular tapping on her window came as expected. She let Quinn in quickly putting the bear on the side table.

"I got worried about you earlier." Quinn smiled shyly.

"I know you did." A warm feeling spread through Rachel's chest at Quinn's bashful comment.

"Are you worried about people making fun of you? Is that why you didn't want to sit with me? I know Sue and some other people make comments but I didn't think it bothered you that much. I mean it's okay if it does. I'm just wondering. You seemed so opposed to sitting with me in the hall I figured maybe because Santana and the other cheerleaders were there and the footballers…" Rachel begin into a full blown rant before Quinn had to cut her off to explain.

"Rachel stop. It's nothing like that. Being in a room with that many people is almost deafening for me, and the smell… it makes my nose and my head burn. And with all the teenagers and their emotions. I just can't cope with that many people. I don't care who sees me talking to you Rachel." Quinn tried to explain as best she could how hard crowds were for a vampire.

"Oh, okay. Sorry. Damnit, now I feel like a jerk for assuming you didn't want to be seen with me." The brunette spoke embarrassed by her accusation.

"I really enjoy spending time with you Rachel, and I don't care who knows or what they want to say about it. I'm more than 10 times older than most of the people in that school, I couldn't care less what they think about me, they all think I'm a stuck up bitch anyway so it's fine." Quinn moved to sit down next to Rachel. She really couldn't care less what any of the people at the school thought of her except Rachel.

"Well they got that part right at least." Rachel said grinning.

"Hey! Not cool!" Quinn frowned, gently nudging Rachel's shoulder.

"I'm kidding, im kidding! Don't hurt me!" The brunette shouted putting her hands up in mock surrender

"I guess I'll forgive you this one time." The blonde smiled resting her head on Rachel's shoulder.


End file.
